How do you define a ‘classic ‘ album? While The Soundstage Sessions is hardly ground-breaking in its 10-track CD format, its performer, Stevie Nicks, is unmistakeably the vocal driving force behind the latest Joe Thomas produced album, recorded at Soundstage in October 2008. Those gritty, vibrato-infused utterings can only emerge from one voice.

Lord alone knows what damage she may have done to herself during the excesses of on-off relationships and the mad, cocaine-fuelled ecstasy of Fleetwood Mac (now back on-the-road, amazingly enough, minus Ms McVie in its current iteration), but La Nicks is in imposing form and the world is better place for her crooning. Backed by a strings section and her session band, the great lady looks none the worse for her excesses and sounds as good as yesterday, especially on track three, a revisitation to ‘Sara’, her long-standing staple.

There is something remarkably alluring about her lazy vocalisation, which for some performers might signal the end of their careers. At the risk of being indelicate, this lady is a healthy 61 years of age (May 26th), so you might even call this a birthday album for the girl. The Soundstage Sessions is actually her first visit into the studios since the Trouble in Shangri-La album of 2001, yet you would hardly believe that she had been away. Judging by the studio shots accompanying the album, Stevie is certainly looking as good as ever, in her customary black lace shawl and black high-heeled boots.

Track five is another favourite from her days as Lindsay Buckingham’s partner, a duet she often sang with him, and you can hear the bitter-sweet memories eking out from between every draw of the violin’s bow and accompanied reprise in this beautiful song. “I’m getting older”, she sings, but you would be hard-pushed to tell. No. This is hardly a ‘classic’ album by all normal definitions but it is the production of a musical survivor, who has lost not one ounce of her magic and is destined to please audiences of all ages for what could be a very long time. Stevie Nicks is rock music’s stand-alone diva.